Means for supporting a fan in a housing opening



June 19, 1951 E. E. HANS 2,557,223

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING FANS IN HOUSING OPENINGS Filed June 17, 1948 INVENTOR. 12m 0ND 25 #4 /vs ATTO/PNE Y Patented June 19, 1951 MEAN S'FOR SUPPORIIITG? A FAN IN A -HOUSING OPENIN'G Edmund E. -Hans, Detroit, Mich.

Application June-17, 1948, Serial No..'33;599

3 Claims. E

This invention relates to improvements in means for supporting a fan in a h'ousing'opem ing. When a fan is so mounted it is "very1nec'es sary, in most cases, :that it be held coaxial-with the opening as lotherwise the air output :of the fan is materially diminished. It is an :object of the invention to provide ameans for supporting a fan in alhousin opening so that the :fan is positively and rigidlyheld coaxial with the opening, and wherein .the constructionis such that there is no possibility of the "fan gradually becoming :misaligned after prolonged operation.

Another object of the invention :is :to qarovide means for supporting-a fanrin a; housing opening which is cheap and simple to manufacture and whichis-"adapted to massproduction methods.

Having "thus 'briefly stated-some of the objects and advantages of the invention 1 will describe it in detail with the aid "of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is aside view of the invention partly in section,

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a fan mounted on a shaft 2 which is suitably supported for rotation; in the present instance this shaft is the shaft of a motor 3. Secured around the supporting means for the shaft 2, in the instant case around the body of the motor 3, coaxial with the said shaft is a circular member 4. Formed integral with one annular margin of the latter is a split collar 5 having opposed outwardly projecting flanges 6 at its extremities. Extending through the flanges 6 is a bolt 1 having a nut M on one extremity by which the said split collar is tightened around the supporting means for the shaft, which in the embodiment shown consists of the body of the motor 3. The circular member 4 is for the most part of greater diameter than the split collar 5, and, in order that the rigidity of the said member shall not prevent the flanges 6 being drawn toward one another when the nut la is tightened, an arcuate slot 4a extending some little distance on both sides of the flanges 6 separates the split collar 5 from the said member 4. Formed integral with the circular member A are a plurality of forwardly and outwardly inclined radial arms 8 the outer extremities of which terminate in and are integral with a ring 9, which is coaxial with the said circular member 4 and with the shaft 2. The inside diameter of the ring 9 is somewhat greater than that of the fan I, the front annular margin of the ring is preferably so arranged that the front extremities of the blades of the fan project forwardly beyond it, and the rear annular margin of the ring which extends behind the fan blades is inwardly and rearwardiy inclined so that its diameter is substantially the same as that-of the fan. Formed integral with the ring and projecting outwardly therefrom are a plurality of wider arcuate flanges iii and spaced between the latter are narrower arcuate flanges Eda. Formed in the widerflanges ii) are slots 1 4.

i2 denotes one wall of .a housing in which the fan is mounted. Formed through the said wall is an opening 53 around which an inwardly projecting annular flange i l integral with the wall [2 extends; and projecting inwardly from the said wall adjacent the flange i i, and in the present instance in threaded engagement with the wall, are fastening means such as the-screws t5.

Theoutside diameter of the flange Id is substantially the same as the inside diameter of 'thering 9 so that the latter maybe inserted over and sup ported by the said flange; and the size of the opening H3 in which the fan i rotates is such as to provide the desired clearance between it and the outer margins of the fan blades. The screws i5 are so positioned that when the ring 9 is turned upon the housing wall l2 they engage the slots I l Thus when the screws are tightened the ring 9, and therefore the fan i and its shaft 2, are securely supported upon the said wall. The purpose of the narrower flanges la is to provide bearing faces to rest against the wall l2 between the screws l5 and the wider flanges ill engaged by the said screws, and thus insure proper setting of the fan I and the motor 3.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the circular member l and its ring 9 may be quickly and easily secured around a motor 3 or other support for the fan shaft 2 so that the latter is coaxial with the said ring; the circular engagement of the ring 9 around the annular flange l4 insures maintenance of concentricity of the fan shaft in the opening l3; and the screws [5 prevent detachment of the ring 9 from the flange [4.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that alterations and modifications may be made thereto provided the said alterations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A supporting means for supporting a fan in a housing opening comprising a circular member, a split collar integral with said member and having outwardly projecting flanges at its extremities, said member having an arcuate slot therein separating it from said collar beneath and adjacent the split flanged ends of the latter, means for drawing the split ends of the collar toward one another around a fan motor having a shaft projecting therefrom and holding said shaft and said fan thereon coaxial with said member, forwardly and outwardly inclined arms extending radially from said member, and a ring supported by said arms coaxial with said member, in combination with the housing opening having an annular flange therearound and coaxial therewith, said ring being mounted around said annular flange, spaced outwardly projecting flanges on the ring, fastening means adjacent the housing opening engaging said outwardly projecting flanges and holding the ring immovable on the annular flange and the fan coaxial in the housing opening.

2. A supporting means for supporting a fan in a housing opening comprising a circular member, a split collar integral with said member and having outwardly projecting flanges at its extremities, said member having an arcuate transversely extending slot therein separating it from the said collar beneath and adjacent the split flanged ends of the latter, means for drawing the split ends of the collar toward one another around a fan motor having a shaft projecting therefrom and holding said shaft and a fan thereon coaxial with said member, forwardly and outwardly inclined arms extending radially from said member, and a ring supported by said arms coaxial with said member, in combination with the housing opening having an annular flange therearound and coaxial therewith, said ring being mounted around said annular flange, spaced outwardly projecting flanges on the ring, slots in said spaced flanges, fastening means adjacent the housing opening engaging with the slots in said spaced flanges for holding the ring immovable on the annular flange and the fan coaxial in the housing opening.

3. A supporting means for supporting a fan in a housing opening, comprising a circular member, an upstanding split collar integral with said member and having outwardly projecting flanges at its extremities, said member having an arouate transversely extending slot therein separating it from the said collar beneath and adjacent the split flanged ends of the latter, means for drawing the split ends of the collar toward one another around a fan motor having a shaft projecting therefrom and holding said shaft and a fan thereon coaxial with said member, forwardly and outwardly inclined arms extending radially from said member, and a ring supported by said arms coaxial with said member, in combination with the housing opening having an annular flange therearound and coaxial therewith, said ring being mounted around said annular flange, a pair of relatively wide spaced outwardly projecting flanges on the ring, and a pair of spaced relatively narrow outwardly projecting flanges on the ring, open ended slots in the pair of wide flanges, and fastening means in said spaced wide flanges for holding said Wide and narrow flanges and ring immovable on the annular flange and the fan coaxial in the housing opening.

EDMUND E. HANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,614,190 Dyer Jan. 11, 1927 1,739,082 Simmons et a1. Dec. 10, 1929 1,988,810 Ross Jan. 22, 1935 1,993,158 Funk Mar. 5, 1935 2,430,225 I-Iagler Nov. 4, 1947 

